North Korea's failed attempt to launch a military satellite is a provocative action that destabilizes the region, a Pentagon spokesperson reiterated Thursday, after the White House condemned the launch as a direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The Pentagon spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said the United States will continue working closely with its South Korean and Japanese allies to ensure stability in the region.
"What we see here is another failed space launch," Ryder said of the North Korean launch in a daily press briefing.
"They are provocative. They are destabilizing, and so again, we'll continue to work closely with our Republic of Korea allies, our Japanese allies to ensure that we share common understanding of the situation and work together to ensure stability and security in the region," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name.
North Korea launched its second space launch vehicle in less than three months on Thursday, carrying what it claims to be its first military reconnaissance satellite, only to report its failure hours later.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson earlier said the US strong condemns the launch, "which despite its failure, is a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, raises tensions, and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond."
Watson added the US will take "all necessary measures" to ensure the security of the United States and its allies, while urging "all countries to condemn this launch and call on the DPRK to come to the table for serious negotiations."
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
South Korea's ambassador to the United States, Cho Hyun-dong, said while meeting with reporters in Washington on Thursday that South Korea, the US and Japan will spearhead international efforts to hold North Korea accountable and impose additional sanctions on the reclusive state.
Pyongyang has said it will make a third attempt to put a military spy satellite into orbit in October. (Yonhap)
